


it was stunning, the way they separated, and all the atoms fell, just like confetti

by orphan_account



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Dangan Ronpa Pregame, New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: AI, Cancer, Character Study, F/F, Implied/Referenced Character Death, M/M, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Pre-Game Personalities (New Dangan Ronpa V3), at least rantaro is shown to have it, forgot that one for a sec oopsie, though i editied them a bit, tsumugi is sympathetic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-23
Updated: 2020-07-23
Packaged: 2021-03-05 05:40:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,530
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25459465
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Season 53 is hosting auditions. They need money, and perhaps this is the best way to get it.
Relationships: Akamatsu Kaede/Iruma Miu, Oma Kokichi/Saihara Shuichi, this isnt relationship centric though but this is the only way ill get hits :pensive:
Comments: 2
Kudos: 28





	it was stunning, the way they separated, and all the atoms fell, just like confetti

**Author's Note:**

> Starting notes- pregame, but not exactly like what was shown in the "audition tapes". For one thing Shuichi is less so insane and more just like, outgoing. Also Kaede's not like. A sociopath. She's just a little mean. 
> 
> title from "a drummers arm" by hop along queen ansleis 
> 
> not a request, but I take them! agaveotterpop on tumblr.

The funeral was dreary. Light rain dusted the group of highschoolers, as they watched their friend’s body be lowered down, down, into the ground.

Shuichi gripped his best friend’s hand. Kaede’s breathing was irregular, choked by sobs. On his other side stood his boyfriend Kokichi, who was silently crying.

Shuichi wasn’t- he didn’t- well, he knew she was going to die. Cancer, too poor to afford chemotherapy, exhaustion overtaking her in her final days. It was exhausting and sad. 

But some part of him had hoped that she’d beat it. Some part of him had truly believed that she would beat cancer. And when she didn’t, when she _lost_ , all of their friends despaired.

Tsumugi Shirogane was lowered into the ground in a plain black dress, and Shuichi lost hope.

\--

“Shuichi! Kaede! Everyone!” Kokichi came barreling into the class’ lunch table. He was gripping a flyer, eyes filled with a sparkle Shuichi hadn’t seen in years. 

“What do you _want_ you purple- What is it Kokichi?” Kaede started an insult, but swiftly changed her tune due to the look Miu gave her. The one person that could make Kaede shut up was her girlfriend. 

“Y’know how we need to pay off Tsumugi’s funeral cost? And you know how she started us watching Dangan Ronpa after Rantaro got in last season?” Shuichi remembered, he and Tsumugi had both watched Dangan Ronpa long before Rantaro, their former class representative, starred in Season 52, but had only gotten the rest of the class into it once he joined. 

“Yeah, what about it?” Maki said timidly from her corner. Kokichi bounced on the balls of his feet and said

“They're hosting auditions for this season! They need 15 people! That's enough for all of us! Ten million yen! _Ten Million!!_ That’s enough for us to pay off her funeral debt _and_ have enough left over to split between us!” 

Shuichi immediately got to thinking. He loved Dangan Ronpa, and there was virtually no risk. They were very transparent with it all, it was a VR system, and the only way anyone would die for _real_ was if the system had a major shutdown and the show somehow lost all funding at one moment. Very unlikely to happen. 

“Well I’m in.” He said, and looking around he saw some of the others nodding. There were a few that weren’t- Miu, Maki, and Ryoma looked a bit apprehensive. Maki was the first to speak up,

“It seems scary. I don’t wanna see a dead body!” At this, Kiibo butted in.

“Yeah, but they aren’t real. Plus, the show gives us free therapy and stuff after, right Shuichi?” Ah, yeah. He knew lots about Dangan Ronpa. 

“Yeah. Low risk, and if all of us, plus Rantaro, end up getting a part, There’s only a low chance that anyone not from our class would win! There’s only one extra person there, and the money is split between Survivors anyways. There’s usually at least 4 survivors.” Soft murmuring around the table. 

“Well auditions are next Friday. We’ve got a week to decide, the more people, the higher chance we get the money for the funeral expenses.”

\--

“I’ll join. The game.” Miu said next Monday, as she sat down at their lunch table. Shuichi looked at her in surprise- she’d seemed rather nervous on the subject last Friday.

“I looked into it over the weekend, they take really good of the contestants. And the money- even if I don’t win, the fame will launch my career!” Miu had a little shop on etsy where she sold little trinkets she made. She’d joined the Science club, she loved engineering. Even the contestants that died the quickest were still given immense popularity. The fame alone would likely boost her sales tenfold. 

“That's wonderful!” Kiyo said from his end of the table. He was the first one besides Miu to speak, and him speaking seemed to snap everyone into talking. 

Excitement and congratulations poured from all of the others, except for Maki and Ryoma. They still looked anxious. Shuichi hoped they’d come around soon.

\--

“Hey Maki, why are you so nervous about seeing a dead body? You binged all the seasons of Dangan Ronpa and didn’t seem to mind.” Shuichi asked. They were studying in the Library together, and were the last people from their class there.

“I think… I’d react differently if I saw one for real.” She mumbled, setting down her pen. “Like if I really saw a corpse, especially one of my friends… I couldn’t handle it.” Shuichi hummed, and replied

“You know they give us fake memories while in VR, right? You could ask to be given a strong personality that’s like… an assassin. Or a bodyguard. And they completely rewrite our backstories, so we won't know each other.” Some part of Shuichi felt embarrassed for knowing so much about this show. Then again, he really loved it, and he wanted Maki to join. 

“Really?” She looked a bit surprised. 

“I mean, if it wont hurt, I’ll join! This money could help out a lot…” Shuichi smiled and returned to studying. The homework wasn’t going to do itself. 

\--

“Ryoma?” It was Friday morning. Today was the day- Kokichi had gotten 14 forms for them to fill out, they were all going to head over to the official auditions after school.

“Don’t bother, Shuichi. I know what you’re gonna ask me. Everyone else is already gonna try out.” Ryoma took out a piece of candy and started chewing on it.

“If everyone else is going to do it… I’d feel lonely being all alone. My mom will understand.” Shuichi grinned. All of his friends- this was going to be so much fun, and they could help Tsumugi’s family.

“Why’d you not want to join?” Shuichi asked. Ryoma finished his piece of candy, and before starting another, answered

“Scared mostly. I’m weak, not athletic- heck, I’d be the quickest dead. Probably in case 1. But I don’t want to be alone. So I’ll try out with the rest of you.” Ryome shoved his last piece of candy into his mouth, and threw the box into the nearest trash can. 

\--

“Guys?” Rantaro looked at Shuichi and the others with wide eyes. Shuichi noted he looked pale. And tired. 

“No. No, no no. You can’t audition- that's why you’re here right? You can’t- go- get out!” he tried shooing them away, he was shaky. 

“Rantaro-” Miu started, but quickly recoiled when he snapped his head to her. Shuichi moved to the front of the group

“We’re here to audition. The money would be enough for Tsumugi’s family and to keep the rest of us afloat- Don’t even offer your own money. Your sisters need that.” Rantaro was shaking. 

“No, you can’t- its _not worth it_ it’s **not** worth all of it-” A woman stepped out and set a hand on Rantaro’s shoulder. It was like he turned off, he became silent and stopped jittering. 

“You kids want to audition? Follow me to the back.” She smiled. It wasn’t unsettling- but it was so carefully practiced, it was almost fake. 

Still, Shuichi and his class followed her into the back rooms. 

\--

Today was the day. Today they started Dangan Ronpa Season 53. They were given a quick briefing of their characters- Shuichi was rather happy with his detective. The quiet, shy, emo-boy didn’t quite fit him, but he supposed everyone would change a lot. 

Based on quick glances at other’s sheets, everyone was going to be very different. Himiko was sleepy and obsessed with magic- quite different from the current star cheerleader, but she seemed happy. Kiibo was apparently going to be a robot, which he described as “So awesome” and that “His followers wouldn’t believe it”. Kiyo wouldn’t show anyone his sheet- his eyes were wide and almost scared. 

Scanning the room, Shuichi noticed there were only 15 studints. 

“Hey Rantaro,” He said, “Where’s the 16 student?” Rantaro looked up from his sheet, and looked around shiftily. He slowly walked over to Shuichi and whispered

“You remember how there was an AI in a few seasons? Like in 2 and 24 and 38?” Shuichi nodded.

“I convinced them to put an AI in this game. I couldn’t do it without having the AI be an... unfavorable role, but I got them to.” Shuichi blinked. 

“Uh, who’s the AI going to be?” Rantaro fiddled with his paper.

“Tsumugi. I figured- you’d all want to see her one last time and- but- I think… _I think I messed up._ ”

Shuichi wanted to say so many things, there were so many emotions running through him, but before he could-

“Alright, everyone into your pods! We’re going to start in 5 minutes.”

Rantaro didn’t let Shuichi speak. He headed straight over to his pod and lay down. 

Shuichi didn’t know how to feel. He didn’t want Tsumugi to be a killer- an _unfavorable_ role, surely a trial 3 killer or- a traitor. He didn’t want to think about it.

“Detective boy! We’re going to start, get in your pod!” 

Shuichi lay down and let himself be plugged in. 

His eyes closed, and a locker door fell open.

**Author's Note:**

> idk i wrote this in one sitting. also i tried to refrence it with the "oh yeah everyone survives unless like. somehow magically all funding is pulled and they cant afford to care for them as they come out of the coma-like states" but they all die except the canon survivors lol. at least thats how i envisioned it, you can headcanon whatever i guess.


End file.
